https://slomkowski.eu/feed.atom.xmlSłomkowski's technical musings2023-09-29T00:00:00+00:00Michał Słomkowskipython-feedgenPlaying with software, hardware and touching the sky with a paraglider.https://slomkowski.eu/projects/octoglow-vfd-fallout-inspired-display/main-display-board/Octoglow VFD - Main display board2019-05-15T00:00:00+00:00Module which drives the most prominent component of Octoglow, the alphanumerical dot-matrix display. Hidden behind the bakelite front resembling old radio receivers.2019-05-15T00:00:00+00:00https://slomkowski.eu/projects/octoglow-vfd-fallout-inspired-display/Octoglow VFD - Fallout-inspired display2019-05-22T00:00:00+00:00This grand project mixes modern technologies with obsolete ones like vacuum tubes and germanium transistors. Basically, it is an informational display heavily inspired by Fallout games, which you can put on your desktop.2019-05-16T00:00:00+00:00https://slomkowski.eu/projects/octoglow-vfd-fallout-inspired-display/geiger-and-magic-eye-board/Octoglow VFD - Geiger counter and magic eye2019-08-13T00:00:00+00:00Most vintage-like board of Octoglow. The heart of the device is a Geiger counter accompanied with magic eye tube. There are many vintage components used.2019-05-15T00:00:00+00:00https://slomkowski.eu/projects/cheap-flight-computer-combining-kobo-mini-and-bluefly-vario/Cheap flight computer combining Kobo Mini and BlueFly Vario module2020-02-12T00:00:00+00:00Using e-book reader Kobo Mini with BlueFly Vario is a cost-effective alternative to off-the-shelf paragliding variometers. I built one with a custom 3D-printed case.
2018-02-15T00:00:00+00:00https://slomkowski.eu/tutorials/eavesdropping-usb-and-writing-driver-in-python/Eavesdropping on USB communication for reverse-engineering using Wireshark and VirtualBox and writing a user-space driver in Python2020-03-02T00:00:00+00:00If you have an unusual USB device that comes with its own Windows application, chances are that Linux software for it does not exist. What if I told you that it is fairly easy to examine USB communication with Wireshark and write the driver in Python?
2020-03-02T00:00:00+00:00https://slomkowski.eu/tutorials/baofeng-uv-5r-constant-power-connector-hack/Constant 3.3 V power supply on Baofeng UV-5R/UV-5X microphone connector mod2020-04-05T00:00:00+00:00An easy hack for Baofeng UV-5R/UV-5X replaces the dual-PTT functionality with a constant 3.3 V on the 3.5 mm jack tip. This is useful for microphones that require additional power.2020-03-28T00:00:00+00:00https://slomkowski.eu/projects/paramotor-helmet/Paramotor helmet with headset2020-05-08T00:00:00+00:00Skateboard helmet, accompanied by Peltor earmuffs and communication equipment, is a legitimate alternative to expensive off-the-shelf paramotor helmets, which are, in fact, built on the same principle. I use a military-grade differential dynamic microphone to achieve superior speech intelligibility.
2018-11-28T00:00:00+00:00https://slomkowski.eu/projects/microlab-speakers-remote-hijack/Microlab speaker IR remote hijack - autostart and input select2020-10-26T00:00:00+00:00I use Digispark module to inject NEC infrared protocol commands to start Microlab 6C speakers and select sound source automatically at startup.2020-10-26T00:00:00+00:00https://slomkowski.eu/tutorials/extracting-security-codes-from-car-radios/Extracting security codes from old car radios2021-05-03T00:00:00+00:00I needed to determine the security code for the Becker Europa 2000 radio commonly installed in Mercedes-Benz W124. I dumped the contents of an internal EEPROM via I2C and read the code.
2021-05-03T00:00:00+00:00https://slomkowski.eu/projects/automatic-usb-mains-switch/Automatic USB mains switch for USB-controlled power strip2021-06-05T00:00:00+00:00Almost all available USB-controlled power strips use 5 V from USB to drive the relay. This is of no use with recent PCs, which hold 5 V during sleep mode. I've written alternative firmware for the popular DCT Tech USB relay module available from AliExpress, which detects bus inactivity and shuts the relay down when the PC is in sleep mode.2021-06-05T00:00:00+00:00https://slomkowski.eu/projects/octoglow-vfd-fallout-inspired-display/clock-display-board/Octoglow VFD - Clock display board2021-07-17T00:00:00+00:00Second module of Octoglow, which contains numerical VFD to display wall time and 433 MHz weather sensor receiver.2019-05-15T00:00:00+00:00https://slomkowski.eu/cars/mercedes-w124-webasto-thermo-top-evo-installation/Installation of Webasto Thermo Top Evo heater in Mercedes-Benz W1242021-12-31T00:00:00+00:00Detailed writeup of installation of Webasto Thermo Top Evo auxiliary heater in '94 MB W124. Contains some quirks like using W-BUS emulator and fooling the heater to use already-present circulation pump instead of separate one.2021-12-31T00:00:00+00:00https://slomkowski.eu/projects/long-lasting-server-ups-setup/Long-lasting UPS setup with APC Smart-UPS and car batteries2023-05-07T00:00:00+00:00I connected a server-grade UPS with four car batteries to create a cheap solution for non-stop operation of a server rack cabinet for over 12 hours in the event of a power outage.
2023-05-07T00:00:00+00:00https://slomkowski.eu/tutorials/compiling-c-plus-plus-application-for-windows-under-linux/Compiling C++ application for Windows target under Linux2023-05-26T00:00:00+00:00Setting up a C++ development environment for a Windows target under Linux may be tricky. To simplify the process, I provide a CMake project suitable for using MinGW under CLion and running the application in Wine.
2018-10-14T00:00:00+00:00https://slomkowski.eu/projects/octoglow-vfd-fallout-inspired-display/orange-pi-zero-board/Octoglow VFD - Orange Pi Zero board and software2023-09-21T00:00:00+00:00Module which houses the brain of the Octoglow - the Orange Pi Zero single board computer. It also contains I2C DAC to drive analog gauges to show CPU usage in real time.2019-05-15T00:00:00+00:00